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Inspire Me! Designer Digs

The intense color hits you as soon as you walk in the door of the small atelier and shop nestled on a quiet street in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood. Red dominates, followed by neutrals and a generous splash of black. Summing up the energetic chaos of Branca, the creative design group she founded in the early ’80s, Alessandra Branca notes, "This is not a showcase for my decorating. It is a place from which we draw to create the work we do."

There is the definite mark of Alessandra in this cozy suite of rooms just a block from her home. Her signature red—a color befitting the Roman expatriate who exudes the gusto of an artfully lived life—punches up every room. The intense color hits you as soon as you walk in the door of the small atelier and shop nestled on a quiet street in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood. Red dominates, followed by neutrals and a generous splash of black. Summing up the energetic chaos of Branca, the creative design group she founded in the early ’80s, Alessandra Branca notes, "This is not a showcase for my decorating. It is a place from which we draw to create the work we do."

Alessandra Branca with an associate in her firm's library/conference room.

In Atelier Branca, lush fabrics provide a backdrop for old pieces made new again—film reels and architectural columns morph into lamps, 19th-century armoires become contemporary.

The design studio is not a quiet place. There is energy here, stirred up by 20 employees who work collaboratively in the former couture salon that was among the first in the United States to represent such designers as Yves St. Laurent and Chanel.

Alessandra is a compulsive reader, and spread throughout the atelier there are books—spillage from the adjacent conference room/library filled with "every design book ever published," she says. There are also cherished vintage titles that add dimension to various design vignettes.

Although she thrives in a beehive atmosphere where designers are as likely to hear 1930s jazz as Brazilian samba, when she needs quiet time, Alessandra escapes to her office. It’s cluttered here—filled with inspirations the designer likes to have close at hand.

Her office walls are upholstered with lively red-and-white paisley. A bulletin board filled with photos of family and friends holds center stage. Vintage textiles and fabric samples are piled throughout for easy access.

Alessandra and her employees enjoy the benefits of the location: walking to a nearby park while returning phone calls, breathing the fresh air coming in off of Lake Michigan, or heading to the beach for a few indulgent moments of down time. "People love coming here," she says. "It’s been a wonderful space for us. I’ve just signed a lease for 10 more years, so I’m not going anywhere."

Alessandra Branca offers these tips on fashioning an attractive work area that puts creativity first:

Start with the practical. Begin by outfitting a space with what is physically needed—the pretty stuff can come later.

If an object doesn’t work for you, it doesn’t matter how pretty it is. A desk might be beautiful, but if it has a knee hole that’s too small for you, then it’s an accessory, not a tool.

Keep the space clear, and your mind open. "An open mind is a free mind. I make every effort to be that way," she says.